Clifton Park, NY – The Shenendehowa dance team turned a personal challenge into a community‑wide effort when coach Joanna Butterfield launched the “Strides for Strength” walkathon last year. The event, now in its second year, brings together families, students and local volunteers to promote cancer awareness, early detection and support for survivors.
From personal battle to public action
Butterfield, who began the walkathon after a dance‑team parent received a breast cancer diagnosis, faced her own diagnosis just months after the inaugural event. “I was stage one positive for cancer, so of course it was a shock and ironic after pulling together this event,” she said, adding that early detection and regular checkups allowed her to become “in the clear” quickly.
Her experience gave the walkathon a deeper purpose this year. Participants marched not only to honor Butterfield but also to celebrate other survivors and remember loved ones lost to the disease.
Community partners and fundraising goals
Real Kids Wear Pink, a nonprofit that educates young people about cancer and the importance of routine screenings, helped organize the walk. Ambassador Clare Hurst explained, “It has a bunch of high schoolers, middle schoolers even elementary schoolers working together in the capital district to raise money.” The organization reported raising $70,000 last year and set an ambitious target of breaking $100,000 in 2026.
Despite chilly, inclement weather, walkers gathered at the school’s parking lot, wearing pink ribbons and sharing stories of hope. The event raised several hundred dollars, all of which will be donated to the American Cancer Society to fund research, patient services and education programs.
Personal testimonies highlight the need for early detection
Shen dance team member Kya Williams spoke about the impact of breast cancer on her family, noting that both of her mother’s aunts succumbed to the disease. “Both of my mom’s aunts had breast cancer and they did unfortunately pass away,” she said, underscoring why early screening matters.
Hurst added a personal note, “My grandma got diagnosed I think in 2011, she’s in remission now and I do it for her, I do it for Joanna Butterfield. She is one of my favorite teachers, and she helped us so much with this.” The walkathon thus served as a platform for intergenerational support and education.
Looking ahead
Organizers hope the momentum will continue, expanding participation across the Capital Region and increasing funds for cancer research. Butterfield expressed optimism, “Seeing the community come together like this shows how powerful early detection and support can be. We’ll keep walking until every survivor has the resources they need.”
The Strides for Strength walkathon demonstrates how a local dance program can mobilize families, schools and nonprofits around a vital health cause, reinforcing Clifton Park’s tradition of community service and faith‑based compassion.
Original reporting: CBS 6 WRGB Albany (local) — read the source article.
